Development of a novel system for measuring femoroacetabular contact forces in hip arthroscopy
Abstract
Purpose
Arthroscopic osteochondroplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that has been used to treat femoroacetabular impingement syndrome, leading to significant improvements in patients’ clinical outcomes and quality of life. However, some studies suggest that inadequate bone resection can substantially alter hip biomechanics. These modifications may generate different contact profiles and higher contact forces, increasing the risk of developing premature joint degeneration. To improve control over bone resection and biomechanical outcomes during arthroscopic osteochondroplasty surgery, this study aims to present a novel system for measuring femoroacetabular contact forces.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a structured design process for the development of medical devices, the steps required for its production using additive manufacturing with material extrusion and easily accessible sensors are described. The system comprises two main devices, one for measuring femoroacetabular contact forces and the other for quantifying the force applied by the assistant surgeon during lower limb manipulation. The hip device was designed for use within an arthroscopic environment, eliminating the need for additional portals.
Findings
To evaluate its performance, the system was first tested in a laboratory setup and later under in-service conditions. The 3D printing parameters were tuned to ensure the watertighness of the device and sustain the intraoperative fluid pressures. The final prototype allowed for the controlled measurement of the hip contact forces in real-time.
Originality/value
Using additive manufacturing and readily available sensors, the present work presents the first device to quantify joint contact forces during arthroscopic surgeries, serving as an additional tool to support the surgeon’s decision-making process regarding bone resection.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) for its financial support via the projects LAETA Base Funding (DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/50022/2020) and LAETA Programmatic Funding (DOI: 10.54499/UIDP/50022/2020), and to CUF for the PhD research project scholarship. The authors also acknowledge the support provided by Bárbara Onofre, Margarida Neves and Carolina de Deus Guerreiro in the geometric modeling of the device components. A word of acknowledgment also to Laboratório de Biomecânica de Lisboa and Laboratório de Biomecânica dos Tecidos at Instituto Superior Técnico, and to the Anatomical Theater of Nova Medical School for the support in the experimental evaluation of the device.
Citation
Gonçalves, S.B., Dantas, P., Guedes de Melo, F., Gouveia, J., Guimarães Consciência, J., Martins, J. and Silva, M.T.d. (2024), "Development of a novel system for measuring femoroacetabular contact forces in hip arthroscopy", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-02-2024-0061
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited